TERI Policy Brief

POLICY BRIEF November 2013

The Energy and Resources Institute

India and Sustainable

Development Goals
(SDGs)
Introduction

An agreement by member states to establish a process to develop a set of

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was one of the main outcomes of
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD),
popularly known as the Rio+20, convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June
2012. The idea of having SDGs was introduced in the run upto Rio+20

CONTENTS by the Governments of Colombia and Guatemala, and later supported by

many countries.
The goals are intended
 Introduction box 1
to advance sustainable
 The context, debates, and
development through greater SDGs need to:
emerging issues
integration of its three ƒ Be universally applicable
• SDGs and MDGs pillars: economic, social, ƒ Include common but differentiated
• Building on the MDG experience and environmental. It is responsibilities
 Thinking ahead on SDGs also expected to guide and ƒ Include a proper implementation framework
contribute to transformative ƒ Have accountability mechanisms that
• What could be a possible set of SDGs
change as stipulated in the define and clearly specify the roles of
from an Indian perspective?
Rio+20 Outcome Document, various stakeholders
 Challenges and further steps The Future We Want (hitherto ƒ Encourage democratic participation and
 Conclusion referred to as the Outcome transparency
Document) in support of
‘rights-based, equitable, and inclusive processes that enhance sustainability
at global, regional, national, and local levels’.1 The document clearly
This Policy Brief has been reaffirms the member states’ commitment to accelerate the achievement
prepared by ShilpiƒKapurƒBakshiƒ of the SDGs.
andƒIpsitaƒKumar, TERI. The Outcome Document specifies the key attributes of the SDGs as
mentioned in Box 1.
This Policy Brief, based on research on current international
The Energy and Resources Institute developments and consultations with policy-makers and other
Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi- 110 003 stakeholders, seeks to make suggestions on how India should engage with
Tel. 2468 2100 or 4150 4900 1 UNCSD (Rio+20) Outcome Document; Last accessed on 21 October 2013 from http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
Fax. 2468 2144 or 2468 2145 futurewewant.html

India +91 Delhi (0) 11

www.teriin.org
 TERI Policy Brief

the design of SDGs and ensure an alignment of its own the recommendations of the UN-HLP Report (2013)6
Plan goals with the SDGs wherever possible to establish […] and to coordinate elaboration of the SDGs with the
a greater synergy and efficiency in the achievements of Post-2015 Development Agenda’.7
these goals. Efforts are being made to avoid the exclusive process
ƒƒ It examines some of the critical issues in the debate that characterized the identification of the MDGs in
around the design of the SDGs in the light of India’s 2000, limiting the decision-making to government
own Plan goals, and also as an active participant of bodies with advice from experts. The process of
the Post-2015 Development Agenda process; designing SDGs is instead being seen to follow a multi-
ƒƒ It analyses what could constitute a possible set of stakeholder process which includes participation of civil
SDGs from an Indian perspective; and society — especially people at the grassroots and the
most marginalized groups — in identification of priority
ƒƒ It identifies the challenges that India could face in
areas, designing the set of goals and indicators, as well
operationalizing the goals.
as in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs.
The context, debates, and emerging issues Figure 1 summarizes the timelines of the key
milestones that have led to the two tracks: SDGs and
SDGs and MDGs MDGs beyond 2015, and their convergence to formulate
The discussions around the SDGs track have been the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
accompanied by an important parallel track on the In a Brainstorming Session organized by TERI in
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015, January 2013 on the subject of SDGs, it was highlighted8
and the Post-2015 Development Agenda is becoming that the debate on whether and how the MDGs beyond
an umbrella term for both the tracks. Unlike the 2015 and the SDGs should be converged is revolving
MDGs which was a very top–down, exclusive process, around three strands:
the Post-2015 Development Agenda calls for ‘open, ƒƒ Should SDGs finish what was started by the
inclusive consultations involving civil society, the private MDGs? The MDGs included 8 goals and 21 targets.
sector, and academia and research institutions from all However, some of these target indicators did not
regions, in addition to the UN system to advance the completely address the objective of the goal. One
development framework beyond 2015’.2 The Post-
example is from Goal 1 on eradicating extreme
2015 Development Agenda ‘should build on the lessons
poverty and hunger. Although the goal seeks to
learned from working towards achieving the MDGs
eradicate extreme poverty, the target is to halve
which have been providing the structure for the UN’s
the population of people living below US$ 1 a day.
development activities since the Millennium Summit in
The target could be further enhanced to completely
2000’.3 This agenda is due to come into play after the
eradicating poverty. Therefore, should SDGs consider
MDGs expire on 31 December 2015.
revisiting the MDGs and taking them forward to
There is now widespread agreement among many
achieve what the goals hoped to achieve?
member states in support of a convergence of the two
tracks to create one set of development goals. The United ƒƒ Should SDGs follow an MDG+ process? This
Nations Secretary General (UNSG) has echoed this strand of the debate holds that the SDGs should add
sentiment, saying that the ‘MDGs and SDGs are mutually to the goals what the MDGs missed out on, such
supporting concepts and the SDGs should accelerate and as goals on energy, sustainable lifestyles, sustainable
continue the work begun with the MDGs’.4 He explicitly cities, and others. In this view, SDGs would be like
‘called on the Open Working Group (OWG)5 to build on an add-on to the current MDGs.

2 http://www.post2015hlp.org/about/ has outlined its programme of work until February 2014, with a series of meetings based on
3 http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview/mdg_goals/post-2015- different thematic areas.
development-agenda/ 6 The recently published Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel (HLP) of
4 http://www.un.org/sg/statements/index.asp?nid=6654 Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda is one of the key inputs the UNSG
5 As a part of the SDG process, a 30 member Open Working Group (OWG) was established will draw upon when making his recommendations to the UNGA in September 2013; Last
on 22 January 2013 by decision 67/555 of the United Nations General Assembly. The accessed on 3 October 2013 from http://www.post2015hlp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/
international discussions on the SDGs are taking place formally through the Open Working UN-Report.pdf
Group (OWG) following agreement at the 2012 Rio+20. Some of the seats are shared; for 7 http://www.iisd.ca/download/pdf/enb3201e.pdf
example, India shares its seat with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The OWG is in charge of elaborating 8 Ms Caitlin Weisen, Country Director, UNDP, New Delhi was one of the panelists in the Session
on the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). The OWG began its work in March 2013 and and shared these views in particular.

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ƒƒ Should SDGs adopt a new and radical approach? Further, the means of implementation of SDGs must be
Although there is a need to obtain and sustain what supported by actions from developed countries at the
the MDGs tried to achieve, the SDGs need to be international level, such as time-bound financing targets,
formulated keeping in mind all the three pillars of associated macroeconomic policies including trade
sustainable development, and the path towards and economic policies, technology transfer, and other
SDGs should not just stop at the MDGs but should resources to assist and enable developing countries’
look beyond it. efforts in this direction.

Key milestones related to sustainable development which led Key milestones related to the Millennium Development Goals
to the track on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (MDGs) which led to the track on Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015
United Nations Conference on the Human United Nations Conference on Environment
Environment (UNCHE), Stockholm and Development
1972
Establishment of the United Nations Environment 1990s International Conference on Population
Programme (UNEP) and Development
United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro Fourth World Conference on Women

1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, United Nations Millennium Declaration
Agenda 21, UN conventions on climate change,
biodiversity, and desertification; establishment of 2000
Establishment of the MDGs
the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD), Johannesburg
2002 High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPoI), on MDGs
Type II agreements/partnerships with business
and civil society for sustainable development 2010
The Outcome Document of the 2010 High-Level
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the
Development (UNCSD), Rio de Janeiro MDGs requested the Secretary-General to initiate
2012 thinking on a Post-2015 Development Agenda
SDGs

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
beyond 2015

Need for convergence between the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) and Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) beyond
2015: Post-2015 Development Agenda

Figure 1: Key milestones leading to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015

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Building on the MDG experience five child mortality by two thirds. The MDGs overlooked
the way in which overlapping inequalities constrain the
In September 2000, the United Nations adopted the
life chances of excluded groups and reinforce their
United Nations Millennium Declaration9 to commit to a
social exclusion12. However, redressing discrimination
new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and
and inequalities will be essential if global opportunities
set out a series of goals with time-bound targets. These
for progress are to be shared by those most in need of
came to be known as the MDGs, which had 8 goals, 21
its benefits13.
targets, and 60 indicators10 to be achieved by the end
Although the MDGs did mention environment as
of 2015. a part of Goal 7, which was to ensure environmental
The focus of the MDGs on national and global sustainability, the goal missed out on many crucial
averages and progress resulted in the masking of the aspects of the environment and in most cases, did not
much slower progress in, or even the growing disparities completely address the challenge through the means of
of such indicators at the sub-national level and among targets and indicators.
specific populations. The MDGs were only focused on the developing
Regarding the progress on MDGs, the existing countries, while the SDGs need to have goals which also
literature points out that achievement of the goals target developed countries. It is vital to ensure the active
of different countries varies significantly. Given the involvement of the developed countries, given their
general “one size fits all” nature of the MDGs11, the massive use of resources in the past and therefore to
issue of distribution was missed from any discourse on look at both, intra- and inter-country equity in achieving
development and poverty eradication and commitments the SDGs.
were focused on global averages; for example, to halve, Some specific shortcomings of the MDGs and the
by the year 2015, the number of poor people, and to failure of the support framework are highlighted in
reduce maternal mortality by three quarters, and under- Table 1.

Table 1: Millennium Development Goals: What went wrong?

Millennium Development Goals: What went wrong?

Structural Issues Problems with the Goals Financial Support

Assumed “one size fits all” Focus on meeting specific, absolute, and Targets and indicators for Overseas Development
characteristics measurable aspects of poverty and under- Assistance (ODA) were not backed up by any
development, such as hunger, or infant mortality quantitative or time-bound targets

No goals or commitments for developed Failed to tackle the root causes of poverty and Levels of international aid have been minimal and
countries underdevelopment have not been able to play any significant role in
No compulsion for members to follow fostering achievement of MDGs and targets
the MDGs

No indication of what happens if goals Little progress with MDG8: Fair open trading Overall ODA required for supporting the MDGs
are unmet at the end of the target system, dealing with the debt problem, providing estimated to be US$ 195 billion in 2015 (equivalent
period access to medication in developing countries, to 0.44 and 0.54 per cent of the combined GNP of
and making available the benefits of new donor nations^); in 2012, the net ODA from developed
technologies, including ICTs countries was US$ 125.6 billion, a meagre
0.29 per cent of donors’ combined gross national
income (UNDP, 2013)

Goals decided through closed door Lack of accountability in the global partnership Inappropriate administration of funds in some cases
discussions, left out many critical issues under MDG8
^ UN Millennium Project 2005. Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. New York
12 Kabeer N (2010a), “Can the MDGs provide a pathway to social justice? The challenges of
intersecting inequalities”. IDS (Institute of Development Studies), Brighton, United Kingdom.
9 http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.pdf Kabeer N. 2010b. “MDGs, Social Justice and the Challenge of Intersecting Inequalities.” Policy
10 http://mdgs.un.org/UNSD/MDG/Host.aspx?Content=Indicators/OfficialList.htm Brief 3. Centre for Development Policy and Research, London
11 Vandemoortele, J (2011), The MDG Story: Intention Denied. Development and Change, 13 UNSTT (2012), Addressing inequalities: The heart of the post-2015 agenda and the future we
42: 1–21. want for all. UN system task team on the post 2015 UN development agenda.

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In sum, the MDGs have not succeeded in integrating all talk about the integration of all three pillars of sustainable
the principles outlined in the Millennium Declaration, development within every goal that is identified.
which includes reducing inequality. In the Executive One of the reasons for supporting the first approach
Summary of the HLP14 Report, it is mentioned15: is that often developing countries believe that not
[T]he MDGs fell short by not integrating the economic, delineating separate goals might lead to environmental
social, and environmental aspects of sustainable goals taking undue primacy over economic and social
development as envisaged in the Millennium Declaration, goals. Also financial and technical assistance are often
and by not addressing the need to promote sustainable allocated under social, economic, and environmental
patterns of consumption and production. The result was heads and not marking these heads under SDGs might
that environment and development were never properly lead to confusion and reduced assistance.
brought together. People were working hard — but often India should actually adopt the second approach
separately — on interlinked problems. as it may be more appropriate considering the inter-
So the important question at this point is how linkages and cross-cutting nature of many sustainable
should the SDGs address these shortcomings which development challenges along with integrating the
have surrounded the MDGs? three pillars of sustainable development in each goal.
This would also be more aligned with its own direction
Thinking ahead on SDGs on its Five-Year Plan goals. The targets and indicators
with respect to a goal should reflect all the pillars of
sustainable development. India’s 12th Five-Year Plan is
To address the shortcomings of the MDGs, and issues
titled Faster, More Inclusive, and Sustainable Growth and
around global and national sustainability requires that
envisions simultaneous achievement of these elements
SDGs include not just what affects us as individuals,
as crucial for the success of the Plan. The Plan says, ‘[it]
such as poverty eradication, health, and energy, but also
must be guided by a vision of India moving forward in a
those factors that affect global society as a whole —
way that would ensure a broad-based improvement in
climate change, and food and water security. Through
living standards of all sections of the society through a
SDGs, we aim to address not just the pressures on the
growth process which is faster than in the past, more
environment and people but also the impacts that the
inclusive, and also more environmentally sustainable’16.
environment and the people living in it will face. This The Plan, thus, calls for more attention to be given to the
requires a frontal engagement with the three pillars of issue of sustainability. It states, ‘No development process
sustainable development. can afford to neglect the environmental consequences
How should these three pillars be integrated into the of economic activity, or allow unsustainable depletion
structure of the SDGs? This is an important question that and deterioration of natural resources’.
is witnessing a growing debate, and two approaches are
being discussed: What could be a possible set of SDGs from an Indian
perspective?
ƒƒ To have three separate sets of goals — social,
economic, and environmental — for the three pillars Taking forward these ideas and learning from the
of sustainable development MDGs, and arguing for the case of convergence of the
SDGs and the MDGs beyond 2015, we propose a set
ƒƒ To integrate the three pillars of sustainable
of goals that could be considered as a possible set of
development in each goal SDGs (see Table 2). These goals attempt to capture
the principle of universality and human and ecological
While some members of the OWG, such as India, well-being, and could be adapted to take a differentiated
Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, talk about having separate social approach depending on their respective responsibilties
goals, economic goals, and environmental goals, others, under international agreement and taking into account
such as the group consisting of Colombia and Guatemala, variations in development levels. Also included in these
goals are cross-cutting and interlinked objectives, such
14 The High-level Panel (HLP) consists of 27 members with a mandate to give advice on the global
development framework beyond 2015. It includes representation from civil society, private
sector, and government. 16 Point 1.45 in the 12th Five Year Plan Document; Last Accessed on 3rd October 2013 from
15 http://www.un.org/sg/management/pdf/HLP_P2015_Report.pdf http://planningcommission.gov.in/hackathon/Macroeconomic_Framework.pdf

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Table 2: Possible set of SDGs

Possible Sustainable Potential Sub-Goals Example of Linkages with Cross-Cutting Objectives

Development Goals
(SDGs)

Ensuring sustainable ƒƒ Universal access to modern energy Poverty eradication: Reduces time and income poverty
energy for all ƒƒ Enhancing energy efficiency Gender equality: Reduces the time and physical burden on
ƒƒ Protecting the environment by increasing women and also creates livelihood opportunities for women
share of renewable energy Employment creation: Facilitates promotion of household
ƒƒ Cleaning the fossil fuel sources of energy level enterprises and creates livelihood opportunities in
renewable energy sector
Environmental health: Reduces indoor air pollution and
improves environmental health
Human health: Improvement in environmental health also
promotes human health
Resource efficiency: Promotes energy use efficiency

Ensuring universal ƒƒ Access to reliable clean water supply to Poverty eradication: Reduces time and income poverty, and
access to potable households including safe drinking water is essential for ensuring food and energy security
water and sanitation ƒƒ Improving water use efficiency and reduce Gender equality: Reduces the time and physical burden on
water loss women who collect the water from source improving their
ƒƒ Water resource conservation and health and education outcomes
management Environmental health: Proper sanitation, particularly solid
ƒƒ Access to safe drinking water and improved waste and wastewater management, prevents contamina-
sanitation and hygiene tion of the environment and natural resources

ƒƒ Addressing contamination and pollution of Human health: Reduces the physical burden on women and
surface water and overuse of groundwater children, who collect the water from source; proper sanita-
tion reduces other health risks
ƒƒ Managing wastewater based on the concept
of reduction/omission, treatment, reuse/ Employment creation: Water and wastewater management
discharge can create employment opportunities for local inhabitants
Resource efficiency: Promotes water use efficiency and
management

Ensuring sustainable ƒƒ Access to shelter for all Poverty eradication: Reduces urban poverty and improves
cities and safe and ƒƒ Promotion of green buildings quality of living
secure human Gender equality: Reduces the time and physical burden on
ƒƒ Improvement of public transport in the more
settlements women in the household, positive social impacts on women
populous cities
with access to shelter and transport infrastructure
ƒƒ Encouraging green cover and open spaces in
cities Environmental health: Improved public transport and use of
renewable energy reduces environmental pollution
ƒƒ Ensuring resource use efficiency (water,
energy, materials) of construction Human health: Improved indoor climate in buildings has
a positive impact on human health; increased share of
ƒƒ Improvement of road infrastructure in cities
non-motorized transport and public transport reduces air
ƒƒ Improving infrastructure of non-motorized pollution and improves human health
transport
Employment creation: Well-managed cities can provide an
ƒƒ Reducing the number of traffic accidents economic environment capable of generating employment
resulting in death or serious injury opportunities
ƒƒ Promoting environmentally sound waste Resource efficiency: Promotes resource use efficiency of
disposal, treatment, and recycling different kinds by improving public transport and promoting
green buildings

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Possible Sustainable Potential Sub-Goals Example of Linkages with Cross-Cutting Objectives

Development Goals
(SDGs)

Fostering disaster risk ƒƒ Having in place early warning systems Poverty eradication: Reducing the risk of getting affected by
reduction and creating ƒƒ Reducing the risk of disasters disasters reduces the chances of falling into poverty;
resilience disaster risk reduction protects development investments
ƒƒ Improving rehabilitation and resettlement and helps societies to accumulate wealth in spite of hazards
for all disasters
Gender equality: Promotes gender parity in educational
ƒƒ Arrangements for long-term disaster outcomes by reducing negative impact on education (which
recovery is higher for girls); reduces vulnerabilities and helps build
ƒƒ Disaster resilient infrastructure capacities of women and girls placed at heightened risk of
ƒƒ Adopting and implementing policies and disaster
plans that integrate comprehensive and Environmental health: Reduces environmental degradation
multi-sectoral measures to strengthen and improves natural resource management
resilience Human health: Reduces hazard impacts on human health
and well-being; safer, better prepared, and resilient health-
care facilities improve health outcomes
Employment creation: Reduction in losses to
economic infrastructure prevents destruction of
employment opportunities
Resource efficiency: Prevents loss of resources that comes
with destruction

Protecting and manag- ƒƒ Addressing water pollution Poverty eradication: The poorest sections of society are the
ing the natural resource ƒƒ Promoting water conservation and closest to the natural resource base, as their livelihood and
base of economic and management daily activities are linked to it; any changes, positive or nega-
social development tive, would affect them the most
ƒƒ Managing land use change
Gender equality: Women are more dependent on natural
ƒƒ Managing waste
resources and better quality of natural resources enhances
ƒƒ Addressing climate change through moder- the well-being of women in many ways
ating greenhouse gas emission levels
Environmental health: Reduces degradation and contami-
ƒƒ Combating desertification nation of natural resources and the natural environment
ƒƒ Preserving mountain ecosystems Human health: Improved environmental quality impacts
ƒƒ Conserving biodiversity human health positively
ƒƒ Promoting eco-tourism, forests, and tree Employment creation: Preservation and conservation of
cover natural resources generates livelihoods
ƒƒ Responsible mining Resource efficiency: Prevents loss of resources that comes
ƒƒ Promoting sustainable procurement about with degradation

Ensuring food security ƒƒ Encouraging sustainable agriculture with Poverty eradication: Increases income of agricultural
— production, access, focus on increasing small landholder farmers, and those related to the agricultural sector
and nutrition productivity and income Gender equality: Reduces malnutrition among women,
ƒƒ Access to healthy and adequate food for creates improved opportunities for women farmers, etc.
all year round Environmental health: Sustainable agriculture
ƒƒ Ending malnutrition amongst all sections prevents degradation of natural resources and
of society environmental resilience
ƒƒ Building enduring adequate infrastructure Human health: Helps reduce stunting and infant/
for farming societies, including improved child mortality related to hunger and malnutrition
irrigation, storage, and transport Employment: Creates incentive to work in farming
facilities, etc.
Resource efficiency: Required to promote sustainable
ƒƒ Preventing loss and wastage of food agricultural practices and to prevent wastage of resources
ƒƒ Risk reduction techniques to mitigate the
impacts of floods, droughts, etc., on yield

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Possible Sustainable Potential Sub-Goals Example of Linkages with Cross-Cutting Objectives

Development Goals
(SDGs)

Promoting human ƒƒ Universal primary and secondary education Poverty reduction: Higher education in many respects would
resource development ƒƒ Ensuring quality of education (pupil-teacher mean income rise as well as reduction in inequality
— focus on education ratio, trained, and professional teachers) Gender equality: Sending girls to school reduces gender
and skill enhancement ƒƒ Reducing drop-out rates inequality and enhances the spill over on other aspects
ƒƒ Increasing the average years of education of life such as health and awareness
ƒƒ Enhancing vocational and/or skill training Employment: Higher education and a better skill set creates
for the youth more capable youth; this would lead to better opportunities
for the society as a whole and increase their employability
Environmental health: Education and spread of awareness
and knowledge reduces misuse of environment and natural
resources
Human health: Education and awareness promotes healthy
behaviour and improves health outcomes

Protecting the oceans ƒƒ Protecting the oceans and marine Poverty reduction: As a link to sustaining livelihoods of the
and marine ecosys- ecosystems by banning/reducing the use fishing community
tems of practices that may cause irreversible Gender equality: Women are highly involved in fishing activi-
damage to the ecosystem ties and this would reduce their vulnerability
ƒƒ Restoring the damages caused to the Environmental health: Helps preserve biodiversity and a
ecosystems multitude of environmental/ecosystem services
ƒƒ Ensuring sustainable livelihoods and Human health: Pollution of coastal areas increases
sustainability of other economic activities health burdens on the communities living close to the
dependent on the ecosystems coastal region
ƒƒ Reducing/preventing ocean acidification
ƒƒ Preventing overexploitation of the
coastal areas
ƒƒ Reducing the pollution and the waste dis-
posed in coastal areas and the oceans
ƒƒ Reversing the effects of loss of habitat in
the oceans

* The term ‘completed’ is used because enrollment may not necessarily imply that they have finished their education.
Source: Based on stakeholder consultations

as poverty eradication, reduction in gender inequality, within the national context that will need to be addressed
enhanced employment and livelihood opportunities, if progress has to be made. What are these challenges
improved health (environmental and human) outcomes, and the possible means to address them?
and fostering resource efficiency. ƒƒ Raising awareness about the SDGs among the
public, and deciding to what extent they are (to be)
Challenges and further steps integrated with the national goals and priorities
will pose an important challenge: Sensitization
India needs to actively contribute to the relevant inter- work will be needed by both the civil society and
governmental negotiations that are taking place in the the governments to create public awareness to
lead upto 2015. It is essential that India has a plan in place encourage meeting of the goals. In the near future,
to engage with positions on the Post-2015 Development it will also be important to build consensus around
Agenda emerging from forums such as BRICS (association the key themes and strategies for the Post-2015
of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), IBSA Development Agenda among the members of the
(India, Brazil, and South Africa), and the G20 (Group of civil society. This will enable greater mobilization of
20 major economies). The SDGs agenda, as it unfolds energies, inputs, and insights necessary to shape an
at the international level, will generate many challenges agenda that is strongly rooted in the principles of

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human rights and social justice while also setting the ƒƒ Networks of innovators and social entrepreneurs
stage for the supporting and monitoring processes should be strengthened and supported: Such
that need to be in place once the new development networks should be strengthened and supported
agenda is adopted. (possibly using a model similar to the Consultative
ƒƒ The direct involvement of communities in the Group for International Agricultural Research) and
agenda setting process: Direct involvement of efforts should be increased towards forming and
communities — with a special focus on women and funding more cross-cultural teams and relationships
other socially excluded groups — will help create to promote knowledge sharing across both North–
the basis for a locally relevant and accountable South as well as South–South.
development framework. ƒƒ Financial and technical support by the developed
ƒƒ Developing a clear commitment within world: Support that mobilizes additional resources
government: A clear commitment at the highest in innovative ways without diverting national or
level for implementation of the goals and integration multilateral assistance from the imperatives of
of policy objectives in different sectors, and the development and poverty alleviation is required.
involvement of other stakeholders including the civil ƒƒ Diversifying funding sources can be anƒ
society, will require creating a framework, including important part of achieving sustainability:
a focal point to facilitate and monitor the progress The options include:
towards these goals.
• Expanding the resource base through stronger
ƒƒ Strengthening the federal structure and and more predictable partnerships with major
institutions: Though the federal system is well donors;
placed to implement a sustainable development
• New approaches for pooling private and
agenda, its various tiers and actors need to be
public revenue streams to scale up or develop
strengthened and sensitized in terms of human
activities for the benefit of partner countries.
and financial capacity to enable improved service
Here Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) must
delivery and governance. It is important to recognize
play an important role in financing sustainable
the central role of participatory processes involving
development, particularly for infrastructure and
local bodies including Gram Panchayats, other
urban development;
Village Local Bodies (VLB), and Urban Local Bodies
(ULB) for realizing socio-economic development • New revenue streams (e.g., charges, fees,
while protecting the environment. There are some taxation, bond raising, sale proceeds, or
capacity constraints, notably at the state and local voluntary contribution schemes) earmarked for
panchayat levels, in terms of technical and financial environmental and developmental activities on a
resources which need to be addressed. multi-year basis; and
ƒƒ Collection of data, monitoring, and accountability: • New incentives (financial guarantees, corporate
Local, national, and global data collection, which is social responsibility, or other rewards or
highly disaggregated and uses new tools such as GIS recognition) to address market failures or scale
mapping, remote sensing, and social networking, up ongoing developmental activities and resource
will need to be undertaken. As part of the financing and environmental management.
mechanisms, international organizations such as ƒƒ Diffusion and transfer of technology to India and
multilaterals and bilaterals, funds and foundations, other developing countries should be facilitated:
and programmes of the United Nations should New technologies also offer tremendous
support the national governments in designing, opportunities to deliver public services, including
collecting, and harmonizing the data. healthcare, education, and basic infrastructure,
ƒƒ Continuous sustainability assessments: Consolidation to more people at a lower cost and with a much
of information and data already available that lower use of primary resources. It may also help
highlights the country’s trends on factors depicting to identify technologies where capabilities (North–
sustainability (or unsustainability) is required. South and/or South–South) could be combined

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with needs to deliver appropriate solutions, and Conclusion

also explore ideas such as eco-patent commons and
technology commons in the line of creative commons For the achievement of sustainable development in the
that foster knowledge sharing and promote long run, it is essential to have the right type of goals
sustainable development. and indicators that, in addition to being global in nature,
ƒƒ South–South Cooperation to supplement North– should not ignore the national context. There should
South Cooperation: More innovative ways and be convergence of the SDGs and the MDGs beyond
thinking is required to creatively involve these groups 2015. All pillars of sustainable development should be
in producing more effective outcomes. South–South integrated in every SDG that is framed.
Cooperation in sharing of knowledge, experience, The role of civil society will be very important for
and learning has to be accompanied by a significant the success of such goals, and therefore, it is important
enhancement of North–South aid and technological to mainstream them into the planning process. It is also
flows. The importance of Overseas Development necessary to have clear means of implementation for
Assistance (ODA) should not be diluted. With many the SDGs, which can be the building blocks including
developing countries facing contracting capital flows, financing, governance, and availability of technology.
economic slowdown, and fiscal difficulties, the need
for enhanced ODA becomes even more critical
than before.

References
ƒƒ Kabeer N (2010a), “Can the MDGs provide a pathway to social justice? The challenges of intersecting inequalities”.
IDS (Institute of Development Studies), Brighton, United Kingdom
ƒƒ Kabeer N (2010b), “MDGs, Social Justice and the Challenge of Intersecting Inequalities.” Policy Brief 3. Centre
for Development Policy and Research, LondonVandemoortele, J. (2011), The MDG Story: Intention Denied.
Development and Change, 42: 1–21
ƒƒ UNSTT (2012), Addressing inequalities: The heart of the post 2015 agenda and the future we want for all. UN
system task team on the post 2015 UN development agenda
ƒƒ UN - HLP (2013), A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable
development. The report of the High-Level Panel (HLP) of eminent persons on the Post-2015 Development
Agenda. United Nations
ƒƒ UN Millennium Project (2005), Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development
Goals. New York

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NOTES
 TERI Policy Brief

This is part of a series of policy briefs by TERI based on its research work in specific areas. These briefs
are made available to members of parliament, policy-makers, regulators, sectoral experts, civil society,
and the media. The briefs are also accessible at http://www.teriin.org/policybrief/. The purpose is to
focus on key issues and list our policy recommendations to encourage wider discussion and debate.
We would very much value your comments and suggestions.

Previous policy briefs

Title Date
1. Strengthening agricultural biotechnology regulation in India September 2010
2. Critical non-fuel minerals security: why India urgently needs December 2010
to have a policy in place
3. India’s coal reserves are vastly overstated: is anyone listening? March 2011
4. Don’t tinker with the clock to save energy August 2011
5. Governance of mining in India: responding to policy deficits June 2012
6. Enhancing water-use efficiency of thermal power plants
in India: need for mandatory water audits December 2012
7. Petroleum product pricing reforms in India: are we on the right track? March 2013
8. Shale gas in India: look before you leap June 2013
9. Engagement with sustainability concerns in public August 2013
procurement in India: why and how?

For more information contact:

Dr Shilpi Kapur Bakshi

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Tel: 24682100 or 41504900

Darbari Seth Block, Fax: 24682144 or 24682145
IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, Web: w ww.teriin.org
New Delhi- 110003 E-mail: shilpi.kapur@teri.res.in

The Energy and Resources Institute

12 Issue 10 november 2013